Guest Post: Double Ginger Gingerbread Cookies with Pumpkin

When I first entered the blogging world in July, I did not realize how many wonderful friends I would make and how many amazing blogs I would find. One of my first friends I made was Cory over at zestycook. If you have not visited this blog yet, it is a must see. There are so many amazing pictures and recipes! I asked Cory to do a guest post under one condition...it must invovle pumpkin. Well....not only did he include pumpkin, he combined it with gingerbread, my other favorite seasonal flavor. ENJOY!!

Well hello everybody! I am zestycook and I have been asked to do a special guest post for Megan today. I am very honored to do so and was actually quite nervous. The recipe I am going to share with you with a simple gingerbread cookie with a twist. I know Megan is a huge fan of pumpkin and it is the pumpkin season so I tried a slight variation to the standard gingerbread cookies and added some pumpkin puree. I was quite confident the flavour would compliment the existing flavours and I was indeed correct. These moist puffy cookies whether served warm or cool are one of my favorite fall treats. I hope you give them a try and let Megan and I know how you got along.
Thanks so much,
Zestycook

DOUBLE GINGER GINGERBREAD COOKIES with PUMPKIN
The length of baking time will affect the texture of these cookies -- less time results in a chewy cookie, while more time yields a crisp cookie. At 8 minutes, I turned out cookies just the way we liked them -- chewy in the centre and a little crisper on the edges. Experiment and bake just one cookie at the start to ensure an accurate timing for the desired cookie texture.

INGREDIENTS
1/4 cup (50 mL) finely chopped crystallized ginger
1/2 cup pumpkin puree
2 teaspoons (10 mL) all-purpose flour
1/2 cup (125 mL) butter
1/4 cup (50 mL) plus 2 tablespoons (30 mL) fancy molasses
2 tablespoons (30 mL) golden corn syrup
1 1/2 teaspoons (7 mL) ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon (2 mL) ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon (1 mL) ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon (2 mL) baking soda
1/4 teaspoon (1 mL) salt
1 large egg, well beaten
2 1/2 cups (625 mL) all-purpose flour
Decorating icing, optional (see recipe)

METHOD
In small bowl, combine crystallized ginger and 2 teaspoons (10 mL) flour; toss to coat and set aside.
In large (10-cup/2.5 L) heavy saucepan, combine butter, molasses, pumpkin puree and corn syrup.
In small bowl, combine ground ginger, cinnamon, cloves, soda and salt; stir until blended. Add brown sugar and stir until spices are well blended.
In small bowl, combine ground ginger, cinnamon, cloves, soda and salt; stir until blended. Add brown sugar and stir until spices are well blended.
Add sugar mixture to molasses mixture; stir to mix. Place over medium heat and stir until mixture just comes to a boil. Remove from heat and stirring constantly, gradually add egg; stir until egg is well blended. Stir in 1/4 of the flour. Stir in crystallized ginger. Add remaining flour in 3 additions, stirring well after each addition; let dough stand at room temperature for 10 minutes. (The texture of the dough will be similar to cooked fudge.)
Meanwhile, line a pie pan with plastic wrap, letting wrap extend over edges enough to completely cover dough. Scrape dough from saucepan into prepared pie pan, overwrap with plastic wrap to seal tightly. Place in refrigerator overnight or until firm enough to roll out, about 5 hours. (Make ahead: Dough can be stored in refrigerator for up to 3 days.)
When ready to use, remove dough from refrigerator and let stand at room temperature for 15 minutes or until pliable enough to roll out.
Roll out dough on lightly floured surface until 1/4-inch (5 mm) thick. Using metal gingerbread figure cutter (we used a 43/4-inch/12 cm cutter), cut into shapes. (Gather any dough scraps and knead together until they form a smooth ball, then reroll and cut more cookies.) Place on parchment-lined baking sheets.
Bake at 400 F (200 C) for 8 to 10 minutes or until puffed and set around the edges. (Do not let edges of gingerbread men start to brown. Cookies will become firm when cool.) Let cool on baking sheet for 3 minutes, then transfer cookies with a spatula to wire rack to completely cool. (Make ahead: Layer cookies between wax paper and store in a tightly sealed plastic container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or place in freezer plastic bags and freeze for up to 2 weeks. Thaw cookies in sealed bag before removing from bag.) Decorate with icing, if desired. (Fresh baked and cooled cookies can be iced and frozen for up to 2 weeks).
Makes about 20 gingerbread men.

DECORATING ICING
1 cup (250 mL) icing sugar
1 tablespoon (15 mL) butter, at room temperature
1 1/2 tablespoons (22 mL) milk, about
In medium bowl, beat together icing sugar, butter and enough milk to make icing of piping consistency.
Makes about 1/2 cup (125 mL).